Germany's Olaf Scholz takes over from Merkel as chancellor

Olaf Scholz has been been sworn in as Germany's new chancellor, formally taking power after Angela Merkel's historic 16 years as leader.

Mr Scholz, a soft-spoken 63-year-old, steered the Social Democrats to election victory in late September, positioning himself as the continuity candidate because he played a key role in the Merkel government as vice-chancellor.

"I said 'yes'," tweeted Olaf Scholz drily, moments after the Bundestag elected him chancellor.

After 16 years of Angela Merkel, it's a case of out with the old and in with the new-ish.

Mr Scholz is already a known and trusted face in Berlin and Brussels.

Relations with Washington may improve as a result, though, and that is a declared priority of Olaf Scholz's fledgling coalition.

Although Russia has denied plans to invade its neighbour, Angela Merkel agreed with US President Joe Biden and the leaders of the UK, France and Italy late on Tuesday that they would adopt a joint strategy to respond by imposing "significant and severe harm on the Russian economy".

US officials say they have reached an understanding with Germany that the pipeline would be shut down, which would be a significant intervention.

In a message of congratulations to Mr Scholz, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he looked forward to constructive dialogue, and hoped that Germany continued to recognise "there's no alternative to dialogue".

First elected in December 1990, Angela Merkel was immediately given a ministerial job by then Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

She will still have an office close to the Bundestag, in a flat that was once used by Margot Honecker, once dubbed the most powerful woman in communist East Germany.

Olaf Scholz: Who is Germany's new chancellor.